If you’ve spent the last few weeks, or months, committing to a strict diet regimen, you know the frustration that follows from a lack of progress or results. This can be especially true when the problem isn’t your self-discipline. You’re left feeling helpless and out of resources. As it turns out, you may be making some small, but diet-sabotaging mistakes. These can completely inhibit you from reaching your weight loss goals. I’ll tell you some reasons why your diet might not be working for you. 

But first, let me tell you about Gemma, one of our clients who has been with me for 7 months now. 

Gemma, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old daughter. Before reaching out to me, she tried to lose weight for the final time but didn’t succeed. She had been skipping sweets for a few weeks. Then, she became a stickler for portion control. She felt as if she was eating less than ever, and she had been diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least four days a week. 

Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound.  

The question is, Why?

This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over. They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.

One of the problems with diets on the Internet is that they are often standardised.  As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual physiology and metabolism.  They provide a cookie-cutter approach to weight loss and approach which may not work in your individual case.  

As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to us to formulate a personalised weight loss strategy for them.  Here at NuBodyMind, I work with each client to find out what works best for them, what their diet history look like, what they enjoy in order to create a nutrition plan that works for their unique body. If you are interested in coaching with me, feel free to book a consultation call. 

Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a lack of support.  You may have family members who can eat whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound.  As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation.  Also, you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your weight problems.  In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues. 

This can be particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort to combat their weight problems.  Bulimia is a serious disease which must be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient.  Thankfully, there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.K. specifically focusing on bulimia.

Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories.  You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it.  For instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with as many calories as 600 in a single serving!  You may also be indulging in sugary sodas or another source of extra calories.  By taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.

Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer.  You might go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable progress.  It’s only natural to want to see quick results.  The problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week.  That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see appreciable weight loss.  Discouraging?  It can be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.

You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change.  Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for life.  This means that you must change the way you look at food.  It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more.  As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort.  A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul.  If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps itís time to consider a different diet.   Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose weight, but to become healthier.  A fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone.   Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully.

Once you have made up your mind to lose weight, you should make the commitment and go into it with a positive attitude. We all know that losing weight can be quite a challenge. In fact, for some, it can be downright tough. It takes time, practice and support to change lifetime habits. But it’s a process you must learn in order to succeed. You and you alone are the one who has the power to lose unwanted pounds.